News

Fiete, the new polar bear boy has arrived.

2016. 11. 16.

The newest polar bear of Sóstó Zoo can already be seen by the general public. The two years old male was born in Rostock Zoo and lived there with his mother until now. Within the framework of the European Endangered Species Programme, he has been transported to Nyíregyháza for breeding. He came to be the pair of the older female living there.

Four colleagues of Sóstó Zoo travelled to bring the young, big bear who has a weight of 250 kilograms and can reach 7-800 kilograms for its adulthood.

In North Germany, the keepers from Nyíregyháza were informed about habits and favourite snacks of the male animal. They also discussed with the German colleagues how the animal could be accustomed to its new home without any problem.

Although living here only for a few days yet, it can be seen that Fiete feels happy in the zoo of the Szabolcs County capital. He is very active, swims and plays a lot and is getting to be acquainted with the female polar bear from a distance.

There is a special attention given to polar bears by the EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) which moves the bears between the zoos within the framework of an international breeding program. The zoo population of polar bears has an important role in the survival of the species. There are 122 polar bears living in European zoos and so in Nyíregyháza which is the only zoo in Hungary keeping polar bears. Sóstó Zoo would like to rebuilt the present enclosure which includes two outside enclosures, a pool of 400 m3 and an air-conditioned cave. By this reconstruction, a new arctic exhibition which will be unique in Europe is planned to be accomplished.

The two animals are accustomed to each other gradually and after the acquaintance period they can be together in the large breeding enclosure. According to plans, a new young female will join them within a few months.

A male sand tiger shark has arrived to the Oceanarium of Sóstó Zoo. .

2016. 10. 05.

A male sand tiger shark has arrived to the Oceanarium of Sóstó Zoo. The reason to bring a new shark was to have a pair for the female living in the zoo.

The transportation of the 2 meters long predator to the county capital of Szabolcs was a special case. The 5 years old animal had outgrown the Warsaw Zoo’s aquarium and so the Polish experts would have liked to find a bigger place for him as soon as possible. However, they were not able to manage the capture of the animal and so the transportation was hindered for a long time.

At the same time, the professionals of Sóstó Zoo were pleased with the opportunity of finding a pair for their tiger shark and so they decided to make a plan for catching the animal at the Warsaw Aquarium and transport it to Nyíregyháza.

Few years ago, Sóstó Zoo has developed a simple but very practical device of capturing sharks in aquariums.

A special transport container in which the varying water parameters can be checked and regulate was made for the 48 hours long journey.

The action was successful and the new sand tiger shark has arrived to Sóstó Zoo. In return, Hungarians gave 4 oman cownose rays to the Polish friends.

The white baby lion of our zoo made its public debut today

2016. 09. 28.

After a 100 days long pregnancy, the lion cub was born on 26 of August. She was raised by her mother until her mother became unable to produce milk. From that moment, caring for the cub with such a special fur coloration had to be undertaken by one of our keepers.

The 5 weeks old small lion is growing well, gaining 70-100 grams weight as an average every day. Her present weight is 2720 g. Her caretaker, Anikó Herlicska, who raised more lions already, feeds her six times a day with 50 ml dog formula milk each time and gives her cod liver oil and gut flora supplement also.

Since it is the interest of the small animal to get as few human impact as possible, the zookeeper will get in contact with her only at feeding times. Till this time, the small cub lived in a place where visitors were not allowed to enter but she will have a new home in the Victoria House from tomorrow. At that place, visitors can follow her growing through a window and they can see how the rare big cat is playing and eating. The small lioness has not been named yet, therefore keepers wait for name proposals which are collected in a box placed next to her enclosure.

The white lion parents form a pair in Sóstó Zoo since 2015. Previously, the male Inkosi, who came from the Netherlands and his pair, the Czech Binti lived together in one group with the other normal-coloured lions. It was this year that they were moved to a separate enclosure with the unconcealed aim of having a white offspring. Lion cub will have a light beige colour only if both of its parents possess the same gene producing this rare fur coloration.

The white-coloured animals belong to one population of the South African or also named Kruger lion subspecies (Panthera leo krugeri). These animals live only in Timbavati and Kruger National Park in South Africa where their white colour serves for camouflage because this is an area of white sand river beds and high grass.

White-coloured Kruger lions are one of the most mysterious animals of Africa because their existence was only a suspicion for centuries. South African indigenous people admired them as creatures directly sent by the Gods. Their habitat’s name, Timbavati means “the place, where star-lions came down to the Earth”. It was in 1928 for the first time that these rare predators could be heard about. They got public attention only after the edition of the book: The white lions of Timbavati written by Chris McBride. Since then, their existence became known world-wide and they became the desired hunting trophy of white people. Due to hunting, their number decreased significantly and 1994 was the last time when a wild living specimen was observed. Recently, there are less than 500 animals living in zoos and wildlife reserves. Two adults of them and already their offspring also are living in Sóstó Zoo.